In the last couple years, the relationship between Pratik Naik and Bella Kotak has grown well beyond what most of us see in a couple, and expanded into some of the most enchanting fantasy portraiture that has ever been produced. When I saw what they are creating together, it struck me as incredible given the energy and inspiration that making even one of these photos requires. I was curious how they manage to make stunner after stunner, and stay dedicated and inspired with their work. So… I asked.
Before we get to that, both Pratik and Bella are giving a workshop/presentation at an event coming to a city near you! Phase One is hosting the Stand Out Photo Forum in several cities this year, and Bella and Pratik are taking the stage in Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles! For more information on those, head over to the Stand Out website.
To stay in the loop on Stand Out, make sure you follow them on Instagram @standoutphotoforum (#standoutphotoforum) and Twitter @standoutphotof (#standoutphotoforum #standoutUS).
So how did this come into play with a recent image? "My most recent photo is called 'Under your spell'. It was created in a public park in Oxford and as with all my pictures, I love picking a rather nondescript location and bringing it to life through a picture," Bella said.
What Bella said next is a real example of how her mind works, and painted a vivid picture in my mind as to how she is able to create the images she does.
"As I've gotten older I've begun to notice time in a way that I never had before. I'm more conscious of it, how it slips away, how relative it is, and just how fleeting. Nature lives in its own time and it's a constant, steady and slow. Blossoms bloom in Spring, leaves fall in Autumn and every year the cycle flows, one season into the next. It's this reflection of nature and womanhood that channels itself into my work.